Syria: Flash update on recent events - 18 January 2018

This update provides a summary of recent displacement, along with developments from the UNHCR co-led Sector/Clusters of Protection, Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) and Shelter/Non Food Items (SNFI).

KEY DISPLACEMENT STATISTICS (AS OF 9 JANUARY 2018)

1,435,007 displacements recorded by the CCCM Cluster in the last 12 months from affected areas of northern and southern Syria:

o 1,404,128 displacements from affected areas of northern Syria, including Ar-Raqqa (322,133), Aleppo (274,697), Hama (266,067), Deir-Ez-Zor (255,744), Idleb (189,477), Homs (36,615), AlHassakeh (13,738), Lattakia (1,581) governorates, northern Syria. This includes around 44,000 new displacements still under verification. The majority of the new displacements recorded in December 2017 and January 2018 are from Idleb and Hama governorates.

Hostilities between Syrian Government forces and armed opposition groups continue in southern rural Idleb, northern rural Hama and southern rural Aleppo governorates. Areas that have been recently taken by Syrian Government forces remain inaccessible for humanitarians due to ongoing hostilities.

According to media reports, Turkish President Erdoğan has warned of imminent military offensives on two Kurdish-held areas in north-west Syria (Menbij and Afrin in Aleppo Governorate).

The UN in Syria issued a statement (17 January) urging all parties to prevent further violence and enable humanitarian organizations to access and assist people in need. The UN also reiterated the need to facilitate medical evacuation of critically ill people, notably in the besieged areas of eastern Ghouta (near Damascus), and Foah and Kafraya (Idleb Governorate).

The UN said (15 January) it remains concerned over the hostilities in the besieged enclave of eastern Ghouta. The increased fighting has resulted in civilian deaths and injuries and impacted many of the 400,000 people besieged inside the area. Shelling reportedly resulted in restricted movement between towns, the suspension of school exams and limited access to local markets. At the same time, mortar attacks continue to be reported on eastern neighbourhoods in Damascus, causing injuries among civilians.